Control Global

Embedded intelligence in field instruments isn't new, but more and better knowledge is getting captured in more sophisticated, easier-to-use and better-networked devices.

Maybe it's all those crystal-clear highballs and free-flowing beverages that make level measurement seem conceptually simple to uninformed observers. However, when they sober up and peer into pitch-black tanks and silos with internal structures,…

Q: I came across your “Ask the experts” column at www.controlglobal.com, and I'd like to ask a question I’ve had for quite a while regarding the control of fuel gas to a fired heater.
This particular unit is a natural-draft heater used in a…

Embedded intelligence in field instruments isn't new, but more and better knowledge is getting captured in more sophisticated, easier-to-use and better-networked devices.

Maybe it's all those crystal-clear highballs and free-flowing beverages that make level measurement seem conceptually simple to uninformed observers. However, when they sober up and peer into pitch-black tanks and silos with internal structures,…

Q: I came across your “Ask the experts” column at www.controlglobal.com, and I'd like to ask a question I’ve had for quite a while regarding the control of fuel gas to a fired heater.
This particular unit is a natural-draft heater used in a…

The latest trends, technology and implementations are detailed in this new ebook from the editors of Control.

The latest trends, technology and implementations are detailed in this new ebook from the editors of Control.
Topics covered include:
Taming temperature and pressure
Secrets to good vessel temperature and pH control
Living on the edge with surge…

Control's Monthly Resource Guide brings you the latest online resources on a variety of process control topics.

MULTI-PART WEIGHING
This four-section webpage by Omega Engineering covers "Weighing Applications," "Weighing System Design," "Installation and Calibration" and "Specialized Installations." The whole group is located at…

To keep up with demand for its temperature and analyzer products, Endress+Hauser opened two new manufacturing facilities on May 31, including a more than $8-million, 42,000-square-foot temperature measurement plant at its North American headquarters…

Often, a human wants to fix something, but without understanding cause-and-effect mechanisms or statistical vagaries in a signal, the human tweaking to improve just increases variation

Often, a human wants to fix something, but without understanding cause-and-effect mechanisms or statistical vagaries in a signal, the human tweaking to improve just increases variation. “Tampering” is the term W. Edwards Deming applied to what…

Since its invention, the DCS and its development have focused on increasing power and reducing cost. “Forty years of R&D in control systems has gone into the platform, not the function, but the value lies in the function,” said Peter Martin,…

The University of North Carolina (UNC) at Chapel Hill was spending too much time and money supporting an existing control system. That’s unacceptable for UNC Chapel Hill, which has nearly $1 billion in annual research expenditures, and ranks…

Operation and maintenance organizations shouldn’t assume that they can merely connect our “things” from the last century and reap the benefits.

Following a brief “swoop-down” to quickly remedy some process equipment issues, a plant experienced erratic behavior of a critical valve—critical because it provided surge control for a large compressor. No one was comfortable proceeding with…

The latest trends, technology and implementations are detailed in this new eBook from the editors of Control.

The latest trends, technology and implementations are detailed in this new eBook from the editors of Control.
Topics covered include:
Pressure rising for open, secure systems
Exploring the love/hate relationship with distributed control
Making…

Our readers tell us who they think delivers the best technology in our industry

There's knowledge in our readers. That's why every year we ask our loyal audience to help us determine which automation service providers offer the best products and brands they can rely on to get the best combination of performance, ease of use,…

Basic motor overview
The five-page paper, "AC-powered motors in automation: general purpose, inverter/vector duty and stepper motors," provides a good overview of the main motor types used in many control and automation applications.
Read it here.

There are a lot of misconceptions in the application of automation systems in the process industries. Sometimes these errors in thinking don’t cause much harm because good design practices keep the user out of trouble, but they keep us from the…

Tips and tricks to get valuable information out where it can so some good.

John Rezabek recently discussed how to make more effective use of the infrastructure we likely already have installed, and in particular the investment in positioners (“Can things of yore deliver gold?”). Here are some suggestions on how easy it…

Basic motor overview
The five-page paper, "AC-powered motors in automation: general purpose, inverter/vector duty and stepper motors," provides a good overview of the main motor types used in many control and automation applications.
Read it here.

The University of North Carolina (UNC) at Chapel Hill was spending too much time and money supporting an existing control system. That’s unacceptable for UNC Chapel Hill, which has nearly $1 billion in annual research expenditures, and ranks…

Bonnie Ramey, DuPont senior process control engineer and HMI expert, explores how these standards are critical for improving the performance of operators, enabling them to better do the tasks needed for abnormal conditions, operational states and production objectives.

Greg: The operator is on a moment-to-moment to basis, making sure the process is safe, reliable and productive. It appears to me that the operator interface developed for the original distributed control systems in the 1970s did not improve much for…

Our process plants are not exempt from the forces of chaos, so when the caller ID indicates the plant, we might worry that it brings news of an unexpected trip or an injury to an employee or contractor.

A few years ago, my insurance man asked me, “You’re an engineer, aren’t you?” I was indeed, I said, and he went on to explain that I was eligible for a rate reduction, I just needed to fax him documentation of the degree I’d earned decades…

Our readers tell us who they think delivers the best technology in our industry

There's knowledge in our readers. That's why every year we ask our loyal audience to help us determine which automation service providers offer the best products and brands they can rely on to get the best combination of performance, ease of use,…

Tips and tricks to get valuable information out where it can so some good.

John Rezabek recently discussed how to make more effective use of the infrastructure we likely already have installed, and in particular the investment in positioners (“Can things of yore deliver gold?”). Here are some suggestions on how easy it…

A few worthy, proven technical innovations are making their way into IS solutions and settings.

Some things never change, which means they just change more slowly than we usually notice. One of these tortoises is intrinsic safety (IS) in the process industries, and most control engineers and other folks I know are grateful for its…

Operation and maintenance organizations shouldn’t assume that they can merely connect our “things” from the last century and reap the benefits.

Following a brief “swoop-down” to quickly remedy some process equipment issues, a plant experienced erratic behavior of a critical valve—critical because it provided surge control for a large compressor. No one was comfortable proceeding with…

Material choices affect the design and reliability of wireless connections.

There is obviously more to an enclosure than “just a box with a door” to mount common equipment inside. Unfortunately, like power supplies that we discussed earlier this year, enclosures are often an overlooked element of the engineering design…

In response to Control's questions about field-to-cloud networking for the "Alternate Paths" cover story in the June 2017 issue, two experts provided some thorough and comprehensive responses.

In response to Control's questions about field-to-cloud networking for the "Alternate Paths" cover story in the June 2017 issue, two experts from Red Lion Controls provided some thorough and comprehensive responses. They are Colin Geis, product…

Moving automation engineering off the critical project path starts with accommodating even late changes in instrumentation requirements. Learn more in this new ebook.

Moving automation engineering off the critical project path starts with accommodating even late changes in instrumentation requirements. Learn more in this new ebook.
Topics covered include:
Maximize I/O flexibility
ExxonMobil’s patented…

Be just 33 seconds more productive each hour, and the savings mount quickly.

Rockwell Automation previewed its new, forward-looking App Platform for mobility at this week’s TechED conference in Orlando. While focused first on redefining smartphone use on the plant floor – with the aim of making individual workers more…

As a chemical engineer by training, one aspect of automation that I had to pick up post-graduation was a basic understanding of electrical engineering. Although it wasn't a natural fit for me (my alma mater makes Chem Es take an electrical…

'Every time I read about the convergence of IT and OT, I wonder, are we converging, or does management think it’s all the same because we all use computers and networks?'

In a pivotal scene in the now-ancient, nerd-classic movie Star Wars, self-serving and detached smuggler and fugitive Han Solo makes a U-turn and flies to the aid of idealistic and young Luke Skywalker and his noble quest. Fans are delighted by his…

Tips and tricks to get valuable information out where it can so some good.

John Rezabek recently discussed how to make more effective use of the infrastructure we likely already have installed, and in particular the investment in positioners (“Can things of yore deliver gold?”). Here are some suggestions on how easy it…

Few and surmountable obstacles lie between us and command-perform-verify.

ISA released the ISA-106 “Procedure Automation for Continuous Process Operations” initial Technical Report (TR) defining models and terminology in August 2013, and several manufacturers have implemented their interpretation of this document…

A project’s success often depends more on human dynamics than on good engineering.

Greg: The human aspect of our job is often neglected. One of our newest protégés in the ISA Mentor Program, Luis Navas, is a process control leader at Monsanto. He recently posed a question to me and Hunter Vegas (the cofounder of the Mentor…

Why and how to secure industrial control and safety systems at every conduit.

Cybersecurity is all the rage now with everyone wondering if someone is peeking under their petticoats or will hack their control system and take over their process, a la Stuxnet, leading to a disaster. This is an important issue that requires a…

Company staged a Technology Conference on Aug. 8 that educated several dozen attendees on the latest developments in infrastructure, building automation and cybersecurity.

To help its users, developers and colleagues get a handle on today's fast-digitalizing technologies, Phoenix Contact staged a Technology Conference on Aug. 8 that educated several dozen attendees on the latest developments in infrastructure,…

Recognize aggressive media and know how to specify materials of construction.

Greg: Here we enjoy some war stories on material selection by Hunter Vegas, senior project manager at Wunderlich-Malec Engineering in Greensboro, N.C., a cofounder and key resource of the ISA Mentor Program revitalized by the Nov. 16, 2015, Control…

Our latest guide to web-hosted papers, tutorials, videos and other educational materials shows you how to think outside the box

More than a box
Recent developments described in our "2017 State of Technology Report: Work Stations and Enclosures" include better and more efficient ways to control temperature and humidity, choosing among the leading protection methods for…

T-slot magnetic field sensors

The BMF 235 magnetic field sensor is designed to fit a wide variety of T-slots. Cylinder positions can be detected on virtually any aluminum-walled pneumatic cylinder with integral T-slots, including short-stroke cylinders and grippers. The GMR (Giant Magnetoresistive) electronic sensor features an extremely short 23-mm housing and an ultra bright LED for easy diagnostics.

The BMF 235 easily drops into the T-slot from above and is secured using a standard screwdriver or an Allen wrench. The sensor installs flush in the slot with nothing protruding for safe secure mounting in space restrictive applications. A cable clip is provided with the sensor for strain relief and ease of cable routing.

This mini-sensor features high accuracy, short over-travel and low hysteresis. The BMF 235 is available in PNP normally open and normally closed versions in a tough IP67 housing, each with cable or pigtail M8 or M12 connectors.

The BMF 235 is available in Balluff’s V-Twin version of two sensors and only one connector (M8 or M12).

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